Edward r



(No Model.)

E. R. E. COWELL.

ELECTRIC SIGNAL FOR RAILWAY TRAINS. No. 286,268. PatentedOct. 9, 1888.

WITNESSES: M INVE T0 Mm BY UNrrE ST TES ATEN'T tribe.

EDW'ARD R. E. GOVV ELL, OF DETROIT, MIGl-l, ASSIGNOR TO HIMSELF, LEXVIS MANN, E. G. BROWVN, AND RQBERT MILLER, OF SAME PLACE.

ELECTRIC SIGNAL FOR RAILWAY-TRAINS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent .No. 286,268, dated October 9, 1883.

Application filed August 2, 18552. (No model.)

ToaZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, E.D\VARD R. E. Cow- ELL, of Detroit, in the county of Wayne and State of Michigan, have invented new and useful Improvements in Electric Signals for Railway-Trains; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification.

The nature of this invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in the construction and operation of electric connections, by means of which signals may be conveyed i 5 from any part of the train to the engineer upon the cab by electrically ringing a bell or gong.

The invention consists in the peculiar manner of forming such electrical connections and the combinations necessary thereto, as more fully hereinafter described.

The object of the invention is'to enable the conductor to signal the engineer by means with which each car of the train is provided, and which do not require to be provided with 2 5 independent couplings between adjacent cars,

and in order to accomplish this the conducting-wires are connected with the metallic portions of the couplings employed for connectin g the adjacent ends of the pipes usedin steam or air-brake connections, so that no additional labor is required to make the electrical con- :nections throughout the train, as these connections are instantaneously made by coupling the air-brake pipes together.

5 Figure 1 is an elevation, partly insection, showing my device applied thereto. Fig. 2is a cross-section of a coach, showing the manner and means of completing circuit and giv ing the signal when desired.

0 In the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification, there is shown in sectional elevation the rear portion of a locomotive and tender, and also part of one passenger-coach, it being understood that each of 4 5 the other coaches necessary to make up the train is equipped as hereinafter described.

A is the battery, secured within the cab of the engine, with a ground-wire, D, extending to the axle of the wheel D, and this battery is connected by suitable wire to the bell or gong B, from which the conducting-wire 0 leads to the metallic coupling H, by means of which the air-brake connections are made. Another wire, I, leads from such metallic connection to a similar connection, J, between the tender and coach. Another wire, K, leads from this last-named connection into the car, along one side thereof,near the top, and downward at the rear end of said car, to a metallic air-brake connection (not shown) between this coach and the one in the rear, and so on, each car is provided with its wire attached to that portion of the metallic air brake connection with which the car is equipped at either end.

E is a ground-wire extending along the top of each car, and with one end terminating at one of the axles of the car, through which and the wheel and rail upon which the car rests a ground-connection is had.

F represents a pair of brackets, of which there may be several pairs in each car, if desired, and these brackets are insulated at the point a, where they are secured to the carbody. The conducting-wire K is electrically connected with one of these brackets, and the 7 5 groun d-wire E connected in the same manner to the opposite bracket. The free ends of these brackets are provided each with a contactpieee, G, and the brackets are so constructed that no contact between these pieces is had except when they are forced together, the spring of the brackets holding them apart except when thus forced together by the conductor, who desires to thus signal the engineer.

I am aware that telegraphwires have been 8 5 passed through the ends of couplings, and then united when the couplings were in 0011- tact, and that also similar wires have been connected to plates attached to the extremities of said couplings and held together by springs 0 when the couplings are connected, and thercfore I do not claim such construction, my improvement consisting in connecting the wires directly to some" part of the ordinary separable metallic brake-coupling, thereby avoiding 9 5 any special construction of parts.

What I claim as my invention is In an electric signaling apparatus for railroad-trains, the independent fixed brackets F F, suspended in pairs from opposite sides of a car, and provided with insulation a at the and adapted to be brought together when point of suspension, and extending inward grasped, and therebyground and coinpletetlle 10 and downward, and provided with contactline and operate the signal, substantially as pieces G, one of whichis permanently grounded shown and described.

5 liy Wire E and the wheels of the car, and the ED\VARD R. F. CONVERT.

other of which is similarly connected through \Vitnesses: the line-Wire K, air-brake couplings H, and H. S. SPRAGUE,

T. SHERMAN.

gong B to the battery A and ground-Wire D, 

